Holly Jolly Christmas
by Gothic984
Summary: Gail tries to focus on the festive period after her recent ordeal for the sake of her family, while Caleb begins to act out of character.
1. Chapter 1

I do not own any American Gothic characters, this is a work of fan fiction. This story is a continuation of my previous stories and follows on from Sweet Sacrifice.

It was a bitter cold late evening in Trinity South Carolina, a deep veil of darkness had fallen on the Town and the full moon shone bright in the night sky, providing some illumination for the few people who chose to wander the streets at this late hour in preparation for the festive season.

Gail Emory sat comfortably in her large cuddle chair in the master bedroom of her home, breast feeding her new born Daughter. Her little girl was a welcome breath of fresh air in her otherwise chaotic life and it appeared that her girl was consent in not providing her Mother any discomfort, which was more than she could say for her boys. As Gail watched her Daughter feeding peacefully, she could not help but compare her to her Son Luke as they could not be more different.

Her Son had been less than gentle when he used to feed from her when he was a baby. He used to cling on to her and bite roughly when his milk was not flowing quickly enough, clearly impatient like his Father. Her little girl was not like that, she hardly cried and was content just laying peacefully in her Mothers arms and taking what came naturally. She was not pushy like the boys of the family and appeared gentle, always stroking Gail's hand rather than scratching her. Just watching her made Gail feel at ease and she was happy that she had managed to bring her into the world unscathed, making their family complete.

Lucas had taken some extended leave from work, while they settled back into their home with their children. He was very fascinated with his Daughter and hardly left her side, meaning Gail barely got a moment to herself with her little girl. Their family unit seemed stronger than ever right now and she actually found herself not wanting Lucas to return to work just yet, even though he always found a way to antagonise her. She supposed her desire to remain in his care was something to do with her acceptance of how much she would truly sacrifice for him, clarifying her deep love for him which is not something that she had admitted to herself so freely previously. She had not discussed what had transpired with her husband and she was just happy that they were all together now.

A cool breath travelled across the back of her neck and Gail tensed instantly, feeling her eyes drawn towards the window. She turned her head slightly to peer down into the large garden below which surrounded the property and let out an irritated breath when she caught sight of a dark figure watching her from underneath a tree.

Gail had made her deal and had returned home with her family a few weeks earlier; however, she was still not sure what was required of her and that uncertainly was unnerving. She felt a dark shadow cross her soul whenever she thought back to the exchange in her dream by the River and she felt eyes on her all of the time these days, as if to remind her that she was always being watched. Gail did not require the reminder, she knew that she had willingly allowed herself to become entangled with the dark forces hidden in these grounds and the stranger outside was just an annoyance, reminding her of how stupid she was because she had allowed herself to love the wrong man.

A soft hand brushed over her shoulders and she felt a gentle kiss on her head, causing her to smile. She let out a quiet breath as the hand travelled down to her free breast and cupped it softly, before squeezing it gently and causing her to let out a low moan. 'This is hardly the time Soulmate' she whispered quietly, disregarding the dark figure outside which she knew was still watching her.

Lucas came around the chair and knelt down in front of her, then began stroking her soft nipple gently until it became hard underneath his thumb. 'Why whatever do you mean Love? I'm just a helpful Father assisting his Wife with their newborn Daughter' he said in a mock hurt tone, then stroked his Daughters head affectionately.

Gail narrowed her eyes at him suspiciously, ready to scold him further, then noticed their little girl had in fact finished feeding and had fallen asleep against her chest. She watched as Lucas took her gently in his arms and placed her in the crib they had set up next to Luke, then she got up and started to clean herself up.

'I don't know what you think you're doin' Mrs Buck' Lucas said in a stern tone when he turned around and noticed she had almost covered herself up fully.

'I'm getting into bed and having some much needed sleep Master Buck' Gail said sweetly, then moved the straps of her nightdress back over her shoulders and got into their bed.

Lucas walked towards their large kingsize bed, removing his shirt and pants slowly. Gail had resumed her appointments with Matt Crower after returning home and he had strongly recommended that she refrained from any strenuous intimate activity for at least another month; however, Lucas could never resist her when he witnessed her tending to their children and he disregarded Matt's warning, allowing his desire to take hold.

Before Gail had a chance to pull the covers over her body Lucas grabbed her bare ankles and dragged her down the bed, then parted her legs with his knees and knelt over her dominantly. 'Well will you look at that' he said in a mock confused tone, as his hard manhood stretched the fabric of his boxer shorts and pointed eagerly towards her.

Gail sat up wearily, still with him between her legs and scraped her nails down his toned tanned chest instinctively. 'I wonder what it is...something for me perhaps?' she asked sweetly, feigning innocence and carefully pulled down his boxer shorts to free his hard manhood. She knew that she should not encourage this behaviour, considering Matt's warnings; however, she recognised the mischievous look in her husbands eyes and knew better than to think he would be turned away easily.

Lucas inhaled deeply as she sat up to meet him and trailed his fingers lightly up the outside of her thighs, then stroked his thumb over her sweet spot teasingly. He gazed down at her, still towering over her and cupped her chin in his hand to bring her eyes to him.

'I'm not going to win this one am I?' she sighed as she stared deep into his longing eyes, resigning herself to her husbands desire.

'Not in this lifetime Love' Lucas smiled devilishly, then leaned down on top her and pushed his hard manhood into her gently.

Gail let out a pained moan, still not fully healed from her intense labour and tried to make her body relax. She could understand why Matt had warned her against acts like this; however, she could never say no to Lucas, she would not want to and he always found a way to make this good for her.

Lucas loved how tight she always was when he first entered her, and the feeling of her body opening up to him when she got used to his length. He sensed her acceptance of him and started to move his hips intently, trailing his hands under her short nightdress and caressing her body as he took her how he wanted.

Gail leaned back into their large bed and allowed him to take control, she was still recovering and did not have her full strength yet; therefore, she was happy to allow him to take her as he wanted. She closed her eyes and felt his tender lips meet hers, then began kissing him passionately. She tangled her hand in his thick caramel blond hair and wrapped her legs around his waist when he started pounding into her harder, letting out a loud moan when his hand moved to the sweet spot between her legs and began teasing her with his fingers.

Lucas revelled in her enjoyment and felt the intense bursts of pleasure flowing through him. Their connection was strong and he gripped her hips tight whilst forcing his tongue into her mouth, dominating all parts of her. It was his natural instinct to make her aware that she was only his and thrust harder, knowing she would still feel the penetration the following morning.

Gail was finding hard to breath with his intensity and she loved it. She loved him and the way he made her feel when he was inside of her was exquisite. She felt her climax rising and opened herself up to him fully, wanting to experience his intensity willingly and had no desire to fight him. She knew his desire for her was unwavering and she accepted him for who he was, allowing his need for dominance to flow freely.

When she felt his rhythm quicken she knew that he was close behind her and opened her eyes to see him, wanting to revel in him unravelling like she had done so many times before. Gail let out a loud gasp when she was met with the dark figure from her dream by the River on top of her, then closed her eyes tight and bit down hard on it's shoulders as her climax came violently. When she opened her eyes again she was back with her husband and she saw him just in time as he erupted inside of her, then he collapsed onto her chest and rested his head on her bosom.

Lucas felt how fast his Love's heart was racing and held her tight, as his own heart rate began to calm. There was a strange moment when he sensed her subconscious disappear; however, it did not last long and she came back to him just in time to complete their union. 'Where did you go?' he asked curiously after a few moments, as his inhaled deeply to catch his breath.

'To the Moon and back' Gail joked reassuringly, then kissed him passionately to show him that she was alright and held him tight, not wanting to think about what had just happened or alert her husband to the deal she had made.

* * *

Caleb sat on the front porch holding a mug of warm milk and staring out into the large garden before him. It had been a strange time leading up to his Sisters birth and after she had been born, something peculiar had begun to stir within him; however, he was attempting not to dwell on that and was trying to focus on remaining his cool self. That was harder than he had originally anticipated considering his older Sister insisted on making her presence known more frequently lately, and he had been trying to push down the overwhelming urge to dismiss her as soon as she arrived this morning.

'-The shelter is doin' really well, I can't believe we're managin' to help poor children like we used to be. You should come down more often Caleb, the kid's would love to see someone who got away from it all' Merlyn suggested, trying to engage her Brother who appeared preoccupied more than usual this morning. It was bad enough that she was having issues connecting with Matt, now that Gail's new baby had arrived it was becoming extremely difficult to get anything out of her Brother.

'I gotta go to School Merly, I ain't got time for any of that-' Caleb started.

'After School then, I'll pick you up and we can head straight there for a few 'd mean a lot Caleb' Merlyn interrupted him, not allowing him to make any more excuses.

'My boy will be with his real family after School' Lucas answered for Caleb, as he wandered onto the porch holding Luke close to his chest and winked at Caleb, sensing the boy needed some assistance.

'I am his real family!' Merlyn snapped moodily, feeling her old resentment for Lucas starting to manifest.

Luke did not like her tone and threw his stuffed elephant at her abruptly, causing Lucas to laugh. 'You're his dead family Merly-Ann, you really think he wants to be around you now when he's got his proper Sister livin' with him?' he asked cruelly, happy that Caleb was not denying the claim like he may have done in the past.

Merlyn felt a lump in her throat begin to form, she had lay awake on occasion wondering whether this new baby girl would replace her in the eyes of her Brother. When the comment was met with silence from Caleb, she suddenly felt truly alone and stood up to leave.

'His real Sister is sitting right beside him, and was there for 10 years before either of us decided to get involved in his life' Gail said bluntly, not impressed with what she had walked in on. She expected this type of behaviour from Lucas knowing Merlyn did not fit into his perfect family equation; however, she was disappointed that Caleb was not sticking up for his Sister, after all that they had lived through with Gage.

Caleb tensed at the comment and suddenly felt guilty for remaining silent. When he went to answer the comment, Merlyn held her finger up to silence him much like Gail did on occasion and he slumped back in his seat obediently.

'I'm gonna go' Merlyn told Gail, unable to stop herself from smiling at the tiny baby girl in her Cousins arms and not directing her resentment towards her.

'Wait up, I'll take you wherever you want to go considering it's Papa Bear's first day back in work and I don't fancy being left with the bin lids' Gail said sarcastically, then moved closer to Caleb and handed him a large paper bag that she was hiding behind her back. 'We're a week behind with these, I'm sure by the time I get back later you'll have gotten us up to date somehow' she smiled lovingly, then shot Lucas an irritated glance and left him with their boys as she headed to her car.

Caleb opened the paper bag and felt his guilt increasing when he saw five advent calendars inside, clearly an attempt by Gail to make their family life seem more normal. 'Did I make trouble for us?' Caleb asked his Father quietly, as he opened the first day of one of the calendars and ate the chocolate automatically without thinking.

'When ain't there trouble for us Son?' Lucas sighed as he looked at the bag of advent calendars disapprovingly, then signalled for Caleb to follow him back inside their home so he could get ready for work.

-To be continued-


	2. Chapter 2

Ben Healy sat outside of the Coffee Shop opposite the Sheriff's Station, with his Daughter Izzy and Billy Peele, who had brought Lucy along with him. Ben could not believe that he was actually looking forward to Lucas returning to work today, he needed some normality with how unbearable Rita's moods had been lately and he hoped Lucas would not mind that he had been stuck with Izzy today.

'I can't really argue' Lucas said reading his mind, as he approached the group carrying Luke and pulled up a chair to join them.

Ben glanced at Lucas confused with why he had been lumped with Luke, then just shrugged when the man shot him a look of warning and stared blankly into his coffee.

Billy looked from Ben to Lucas, then let out a loud laugh and shook his head. 'Oh man, at least I'm stuck with this one of my own volition, what did y'all do to get lumbered with the toddlers?' he asked curiously.

'What makes you think I did anythin'?' Lucas asked flatly.

''Cause that big old Mustang has been ridin' around Town all mornin' and here you are with the rabble and the children' Ben laughed, then remembered who he was talking to and looked to Billy for help.

'You pissed Gail off so soon?' Billy asked Lucas amused, not caring about the irritation he sensed from his friend.

'When ain't she ever pissed off?' Lucas asked uncharacteristically, then sensed Luke watching him carefully whilst sat on his knee and inhaled deeply to regain his composure. 'I ain't done anythin', she just wants some time with her female kin-'

'Oh that old chestnut, here I was thinkin' the almighty Lucas Buck had all women cravin' his attention 24/7' Billy joked and lifted Lucy out of her buggy so she was not being left out.

Lucas shook his head slowly in irritation, then let out a small laugh. 'Why don't you ask your current piece about that? She can fill you in on everythin' she did voluntarily on her knee's to get my attention' he said smugly, smiling at the look of anger that crossed Billy's face.

'Or we can all shut up about the women and just have some damn coffee' Ben snapped quietly and downed his drink.

Lucas narrowed his eyes at his Deputy, then sensed his discomfort and decided to let the comment slide. 'You any further with the weddin' plans Benji?' he asked sarcastically, as he lifted Luke and placed him on his shoulders so he could survey their surroundings unobstructed.

Ben watched as Luke laughed happily on his Father's shoulders, then just let out a long sigh.

'I'll take that as a no' Lucas advised and smiled charmingly at the waitress who brought him a strong coffee, without him having to put in an order.

'Why don't you just get it done and then Rita can settle?' Billy asked, knowing the issues Ben was having with Rita and sympathising with him, knowing how hostile women could be.

'I'm not sure that's what she wants-' Ben started.

'But it's what you want isn't it?' Lucas interrupted causally, turning his full attention to Ben. 'All women yearn to feel secure and loved, it's built into them from a young age. All you gotta do is give 'em what they want'

Ben turned towards Lucas, remembering what Gail had told him previously about the man's knowledge of the female species. She had told him that Lucas knew how to control women and suggested he sought his advice, Ben just was not sure he wanted to admit his failure in making Rita happy.

Lucas sensed Ben's thought's and laughed, amused that Gail had acknowledged his talents aloud. 'My wife is right on occasion Benji...when you're ready to man up and come up with a real solution, just holler' Lucas said smugly, then downed his coffee and shot Billy a mischievous wink before heading towards the Sheriff's Station.

'Did I miss somethin'?' Billy asked, confused at the exchange.

'Your chance for an easy life out of this hell hole' Ben sighed, then took Izzy in his arms and decided it was time for him to return to work.

* * *

Gail leaned against her Mustang, watching her Uncle Abe fuss over her Daughter outside of his Antique Store. She loved Abe dearly, it took a little while for her to realise how much; however, she was happy that everything was working out between them.

Abe's connection with her husband was just another piece to the confusing puzzle that was her life; however, his ability to keep his relationship with her separate from the relationship he has with Lucas was a Godsend, as she never had to worry about him picking sides. It was nice to know that she had someone loyal to her other than her husband and she did not know how she got by without Abe previously.

Gail felt eyes on her and risked a quick glance at the Wicca Store, where she spotted the curtains of the top floor office were slightly open. Her mind turned to her Father and she let out a long sigh, not wanting to get into this now. She had committed solely to her living family after making the deal in the hospital and had not returned to the Wicca Store that she loved so much; however, part of her was screaming to enter her sacred place, not just to see her Father but as she missed the presence that was all around her in her private place.

'Don't' Merlyn said quietly, as Gail took a step towards the Wicca Store instinctively. She appreciated her Cousin siding with her when Lucas started this morning and although she would like nothing better than to see Gail infuriate him by visiting her Father, she actually believed Lucas' stance on Peter Emory was the correct one and she did not want her Cousin being drawn in by another poisonous man.

Gail sensed her thoughts and let out a small laugh. 'Are you mothering me now?' she asked in disbelief.

'No' Merlyn said defensively, knowing better than to shy away from a confrontation with her Cousin. 'All I'm suggestin' is to let your life calm down before welcomin' such a colourful character back in'

Gail stared at her suspiciously for a moment, wondering how Lucas had managed to turn her to his side on this one; however, she shook off her suspicion when Merlyn smiled tiredly at her and stroked her arm reassuringly. 'I've let in enough colourful characters recently, so I see your point. Are you going to tell me what's really wrong with you now? Abe can't entertain my Daughter all day' she smiled.

Merlyn inhaled deeply and shook her head. She had not wanted to burden Gail when there was clearly other things on her mind, especially when the problem she was having was with her Cousins best friend.

'Has he hurt you?' Gail asked protectively.

'Get outta my head!' Merlyn snapped, not liking the intrusion.

Gail took a step back and ran her fingers through her hair in frustration. She was not trying to pry, in fact she would like nothing more than to be kept out of everyone's problems with how much she had going on herself; however, recently it was like her mind had opened up to everything around her suddenly and people's thoughts were flooding in uncontrollably.

A shadow caught the corner of her eye and Gail spun towards the Wicca Store just in time to see the shadow disappear into the alleyway at the side of the Store. She disregarded Merlyn's hand which reached for her wrist and yanked her arm away quickly, before heading for the alleyway. This was not her Father, there was no doubt about that and Gail had felt eyes burning into her ever since she had left her home.

'Rosie?!' Abe called, when the little girl in his arms began to stir as she spotted her Mother leaving the vicinity.

Gail disregarded Abe's call, focused only on what was following her and continued on her course. She had made and accepted her deal; therefore, this intrusion or whatever it was supposed to be was unwarranted and she would not just stand back and take it.

As she reached the side of the building, goosebumps formed on her skin and she felt cold fingers trail down her back. She inhaled deeply and took a few steps forward into the dark alleyway, then heard her Daughter's urgent scream pierce through her brain and stopped. Gail felt a hand clamp her wrist tight and spin her around, then suddenly she was face to face with her Father.

'Go!' Peter ordered sternly, not caring for the dark presence which was surrounding them and shoved her back into the light of the street.

Gail stumbled, then managed to regain her balance and stared angrily into the alleyway from the safety of the populated street. She felt a cold shiver travel up her spine and shook her head, irritated by the interruption of both her Daughter and her Father. When she heard her Daughters cry again, her demeanour softened and she rushed over to her instinctively.

'What's goin' on Gail?' Merlyn asked concerned, when her Cousin returned to the group and cradled her Daughter soothingly.

'More than just issues with your relationship it appears' Gail said coldly, then inhaled deeply and watched the Wicca Store closely.

* * *

Caleb sat in crowded classroom with his cheek resting in his hand, wondering what else he could be doing with his time other than listening to Miss Coombs drone on about this years Christmas play. He had no interest in getting up on a stage dressed in a silly costume, if he was going to address people he would to it in smart attire like his Father did.

'We keeping you awake Caleb?' Selena asked, trying to hide her annoyance at his clear lack of interest.

'Just about' Caleb answered nonchalantly, then smiled when his classmates began laughing.

Caleb's lack of respect towards her was beginning to become an inconvenience, especially when the rest of the class usually followed suit after his tedious comments. Selena would not stand for a young boy showing such ill manners in her class, regardless of who his parents were and she believed it was time that Caleb Temple got put back in his place. 'Well I'm glad you're managing to keep up with us all Caleb, some of us were worried that your Daddy's lack of intelligence may have rubbed off on you over the years' Selena said pleasantly.

'My Daddy ain't stupid!' Caleb snapped defensively.

'Gage Temple? Oh of course he was honey, the whole Town knew it...That's your name isn't it, Caleb Temple?' Selena asked sweetly.

'Well yes but-' Caleb started moodily.

'The Temple's weren't known for their intelligence honey, but I'm sure you'll prove everyone wrong now won't you?' Selena interrupted smugly, knowing that he could not disclose the identity of his true Father and taking pleasure in hearing the slight quiver in his voice. 'How's your Cousin Gail and the new baby doing? I bet the Sheriff is ecstatic with the new addition to his beautiful family' she asked before he could answer.

Caleb felt the peculiar sensation stir within him and forced his darkness to stay down. Part of him knew what Miss Coombs was trying to do; however, he did not want to rise to it and cause problems with his parents. 'She's fine Ma'am' he answered flatly, trying not to be goaded into a bad reaction.

'Aww honey, it must be hard being the odd one out in that group of outstanding children. Don't you worry though, I'm sure the Sheriff and your Cousin Gail will try to love you nearly as much as their actual children' Selena said cattily, careful to ensure that her tone remained pleasant. 'I know what we should do, why don't we come up with something nice to put in our play for the Sheriff and his wife? We can even get Caleb to read something sweet for the Buck children and it'll just be perfect' she suggested to the class, sensing Caleb wanted to just hide away.

Caleb was about to protest when his dim classmates cheered at the suggestion, all oblivious to the insults she had publicly thrown at him. The darkness within him began to rise and Caleb clenched his fists under the table; however, he would not outwardly retaliate to his Teachers remarks, not while there were witnesses anyway.

* * *

Lucas entered his home after a long day of menial work and smiled when he smelled his wife's cooking. Although he had clearly irritated her with his comments to Merlyn earlier, it appeared that his Love was not holding a grudge against him and he was looking forward to what she had made him.

Lucas set Luke down carefully on the floor and held his hand, as the boy led the way to the rest of the family. Luke was coming along fine and the boy was ahead of his development, which indicated they had a genius on their hands. Lucas smiled proudly as his Son walked confidently through the rooms, unfazed by the odd misplaced step. When the smell of food became stronger and they entered the Study ready to make their way to the Kitchen, his smile faded as he saw Gail leaning against the fireplace with her head in her hands and Selena standing over Caleb who was sat moodily on the couch.

'And so the Master returns' Gail sighed, stroking her forehead in an attempt to ease her pounding headache.

Lucas started towards Gail, then thought better when she shot him a look of warning and turned towards his eldest Son. 'Someone care to fill me in on what's goin' on?' he asked impatiently and shot Billy a confused look when the man avoided eye contact with him from the corner of the room.

'Your little devil trashed my car' Selena accused angrily.

'I did not!' Caleb snapped defensively and went to stand up.

'Sit down Caleb' Gail said calmly and took in a deep breath, attempting to keep her composure with the situation.

Lucas glanced at Gail again, sensing that she was about to lose control and stood in front of Caleb to block him from her eye line. 'This is a serious accusation-' Lucas started, in an attempt to take control of what was going on.

'It's a goddamn crime!' Gail snapped irritated, unable to stop herself, then took in another deep breath to calm herself and decided to allow Lucas to handle the situation.

'It is a crime and I demand justice' Selena added sternly, not willing to take this attack lying down.

'He's just a boy-' Billy tried to reason with her, in an attempt to diffuse the situation.

'Who took his Cousin's baseball bat and smashed my windscreen to hell!' Selena snapped at her boyfriend, in disbelief of him attempting to side with Caleb.

Gail felt a sharp pain in her brain and shook her head in exasperation, she could not believe what Caleb had done and had not wanted any such drama when she was trying to settle them back home. 'Papa Bear?' she asked sarcastically, willing Lucas to do something to ease her tension and forcing a smile for Luke when he tugged at her long skirt to get her attention.

Lucas let out a long sigh at what he had walked in on and wished his eldest would have found a way to warn him about this prior to his return home, so he could have figured out the best way to deal with the matter rather than being thrown into the deep end. The one saving grace he had was that Caleb was remaining quiet, allowing him time to survey Gail's reaction to all of this and weigh up their options. His Love had a short fuse and he knew that she did not need this after all she had been through recently.

'Why aren't you saying anything? I demand this little demon is punished properly!' Selena said angrily through gritted teeth.

'You demand nothing in my house-' Lucas started dominantly, unable to let the comment slide and took a step towards Selena.

'Your house?...Careful Soulmate' Gail warned in a sweet tone.

Lucas let out a small laugh at the slip of his tongue and shook his head, the last thing that he wanted was to offend his Love and have her anger directed at him. 'Our house alright?' he corrected himself and smiled when Gail nodded satisfied at the correction, then turned his attention towards Caleb. 'What did you do Son?' he asked outright, needing to know the full extent of what he was dealing with.

'Nothin'' Caleb shrugged moodily and stared at his hands.

Lucas inhaled deeply at the lie and knelt down in front of his Son, then took his chin in his hand and forced him to look into his eyes. 'You wanna try that once more with feelin' boy?' he asked unimpressed.

Caleb heard the warning in his Father's undertone and knew better than to lie again. 'She attacked me in class, what was I supposed to do just take it?' he asked defensively, hoping his Father would understand his motives.

'Try not showing premeditation by coming home and taking my bat' Gail advised bluntly, unable to hide her anger.

Selena laughed at the exchange and shook her head. 'I merely pointed out the boy's last name and asked how Gail was, there was no attack' she stated feigning innocence.

Gail shot Selena an irritated look, unaware previously that the woman had provoked Caleb; however, still not impressed with his method of retaliation.

Lucas disregarded everyone else in the room and focused on Caleb. 'You got somethin' you need to get off your chest Son?' he asked, hoping Selena's catty comments had not stirred something dark within his boy and aimed it at their Daughter.

Caleb thought for a moment, sensing how closely Gail was watching them and shook his head. 'Not a thing Sir' he advised honestly, not feeling any ill will towards his Sister and knowing that was what his Father was getting at.

Gail let out a relieved breath when she sensed Caleb's thoughts and forced a smile when Lucas turned towards her, clearly not caring about what Caleb had done as long as his actions were not directed against their family. 'Alright, my boy's are hungry, you're welcome to stay for dinner if you like' she offered to Billy, sensing his discomfort with the situation.

'I'd love that, I'm starved' Billy sighed, relieved that the mood in the room had started to shift and picked up Lucy who was sitting peacefully on the floor.

Lucas exhaled deeply and tapped Caleb on the shoulder, before winking at him and signalling for him to follow him to the Kitchen. 'Come on Son, you know by now when to roll with it' he whispered, then picked up Luke and headed to the Kitchen.

'That's it? You're just going to play happy family with that little psycho?' Selena asked angrily, hating that even Billy had disregarded what had happened and just headed to the Kitchen with the rest of the group.

Gail waited for a moment for Billy and her boy's to be completely out of earshot, then gripped Selena's neck in her hand tight and pulled her roughly towards her. 'I'd listen very carefully if I were you, considering you clearly humiliated Lucas Bucks Son in public and I'm the only one that can keep him from retaliating, which he'd love nothing more than to do' Gail whispered in her ear calmly, not allowing herself to lose control of her temper. 'I've had enough drama in the past few weeks to last me a lifetime and I just want some goddamn normality...It's December and the season of goodwill, I suggest you start showing some if you want to make to the New Year Teacher'

Selena tensed at the warning, seeing the threat clearly in Gail's eyes and forced herself to nod obediently.

'Clever girl, now let's eat' Gail mocked smugly, then headed towards the Kitchen and shot Caleb a look of warning confirming that he was not out of the woods with her just yet.

-To be continued-


	3. Chapter 3

A week had past since the incident with Selena's car and Lucas sat behind the desk, watching his Son mopping the floor outside of his office moodily. He had wanted to punish Selena for the way she had made Caleb feel, especially in front of his classmates; however, Gail had pulled rank and ordered him to stand down, stating Selena had been punished enough with the damage to her car.

It helped that Gail had convinced TJ, who now owned the Scrapyard and Repair business that used to be the Bowen's place, to ensure his schedule remained permanently full for the foreseeable future. This meant that Selena was unable to get her car repaired and had to either depend on Billy for a ride, or take the bus. It was amusing to see a woman such as Selena slumming it with the lower ranks of the Town and he was happy to see that Gail was not just blaming Caleb for what had happened. That did not prevent her from demanding Caleb was punished in some way, hence his janitorial duties after School while all of his friends were enjoying the run up to Christmas festivities.

'This blows!' Caleb snapped loudly, knowing his Father could hear him.

'You think I wanna see you mopin' around outside of my office Son? You'd think I did somethin' wrong too' Lucas retorted and leaned back in his chair, waiting for Ben to return with the incident reports that he was required to review.

Caleb was about to comment when he spotted Rose in the reception area of the Sheriff's Station trying to get his attention, then quietly placed the mop on the floor and attempted to discreetly sneak past his Father's open door.

'Don't let your Mom see you with that pretty little blonde, we'll both be in for a hidin' if she does and then you'll really see my bad side' Lucas warned knowingly, then smiled as Caleb rushed off to Rose and thought back to how he used to be at that age.

Ben walked into the office looking over his shoulder as Caleb darted out of the Sheriff's Station, then shook his head slowly. 'Gail will go nuts if she finds out he's shirked his punishment' he advised and placed the file's on Lucas' desk.

'Then she ain't gonna find out is she?' Lucas asked bluntly, the threat in his undertone clear.

'N-not from me Boss' Ben stuttered, then began pacing the room when Lucas appeared to accept his answer.

Lucas opened the first file and read a few lines before closing it again, then pushed it to one side. 'You still havin' trouble at home?' he asked curiously, wanting to focus on anything but the boring files he was required to review.

Ben let out a small laugh and shrugged. 'Rita's a complex creature' he sighed, not wanting Lucas to get involved.

'She's as simple as the rest, you just need to find out what makes her tick' Lucas smiled mischievously, then got up from his seated position and signalled for Ben to follow him out of the office. 'Come on Deputy, I'm sick of sittin' around' he advised and exited the Sheriff's Station.

* * *

Gail walked causally down the pier pushing her little girl in a buggy, with Rita and Izzy beside her. All the usual stalls were decorated with tinsel and lights, making the area sparkle brightly and for once she felt herself opening up to the Christmas spirit.

'I can't believe you've still not decided on a name yet, we can't just keep calling her girl' Rita laughed, enjoying this time away from all the men and boys in her life.

'You know I haven't even thought about it, I've been too busy trying to get everything back to normal and focusing on Caleb recently...I suppose Lucas and I should really make time' Gail shrugged and smiled warmly at the gentleman manning the fresh produce stall that she usually frequented.

'Are you gonna get her baptised? I was thinkin' of doin' it for Izzy and we could do it together' Rita suggested hopefully.

Gail could not hold in her laughter at the suggestion, picturing Lucas' reaction if she genuinely requested for the children to be baptised; however, when she saw the hurt look on Rita's face, she forced herself to regain her composure and placed a hand on her shoulder gently. 'What in God's name is wrong with you these days? You need to stop being so sensitive and moody' she advised, feeling for Ben if he had to put up with these constant mood swings.

Rita felt herself become upset; however, she did not want her present company to think of her as weak and held in her emotions. The truth was that she did not know what was causing her to feel this way recently, she was just on edge all of the time and it was affecting her relationship with both Ben and Izzy. She had found her initial desire to get married had completely diminished, her Daughter appeared to want to be with her Father more and more these days, becoming unsettled when she was with Rita for a prolonged amount of time and that hurt more than anything. It all added to Rita's constant discomfort and she felt like she was trapped.

Gail sensed her thoughts and let out a long sigh, what her present company was experiencing was similar to how she used to feel when she was cooped up in Charleston for more than a few months. Rita was not as courageous as her and she was more of a homebody; however, Gail recognised the signs of someone who craved more. It had been difficult when she had committed fully to Lucas which meant she was staying in Trinity full time, it appeared Rita was struggling with a similar restlessness.

'You think I'm awful don't you? Blowin' up on Ben, not wantin' to get married and not just being thankful for what I have?' Rita asked quietly, after a few moments of silence.

'I think you don't know me at all, otherwise you'd realise that you're not the only one trying to play a role which is expected of her' Gail advised honestly and continued pushing her Daughter's buggy slowly.

Rita glanced at Gail when the comment sank in, then mirrored her stance and continued to look straight ahead. 'I love my family-' she started.

'But you want more' Gail interjected knowingly. Ben offered stability and that was important; however, she knew herself that when ambition and drive reared up, sensible stability were not enough to hold you down.

'I don't know what I want' Rita said defensively, feeling bad at not being able to settle like she should.

Gail let out a small laugh and shook her head at Rita's attempt to push away her true desires. 'Of course you do, otherwise you wouldn't have gone to my husband a few weeks ago and considered what he may have to offer' she said bluntly, growing bored with Rita's denial.

Rita took in a sharp intake of breath at the comment and felt a strong guilt come over her. She knew better than to get involved with Lucas Buck and his deals, she could not believe that she nearly agreed to his assistance after all of what she had heard throughout the years. She thought back to their exchange in the Hospital garden, attempting to figure out why she had been so willing to accept his help and let off a small shiver when she remembered how close he had been to her. Rita felt his hand brush against her knee as though she was still there with him and the smell of his masculine cologne had been intoxicating.

Gail rolled her eyes when she sensed how besotted her present company was with her husband, she wished the women of this Town had more self discipline and shook her head at how easily her husband could control them. She was about to interrupt Rita's reverie and scold her for considering a deal with Lucas when she caught sight of a dark figure moving in the corner of her eye, without thinking Gail left Rita to her thoughts and headed towards a secluded Stall just off the main promenade. She had sensed an increasing presence around her recently, which had been causing her concern and this sudden appearance out in the open did not help ease her discomfort.

'Don't be so naive' the dark figure hissed. 'This appearance isn't sudden, I'm with you wherever you go' it mocked.

Gail tensed at the malevolent voice and tightened her hands on the buggy, ready to fight if it dared to come near her Daughter.

'There's no need for that Mrs Buck, we made our deal and I will honour the terms' the dark figure said smugly.

Gail scanned the Stall in an attempt to locate the figure; however, there were shadows everywhere and she could not get a clear lock on it's location. When she heard laughter from all around her, as if mocking her inability to locate her target, she let out an exasperated breath and tried to keep her composure. 'What do you want from me?' she asked bluntly, unable to hide her irritation with whatever game this was.

The laughter stopped and the dark figure stared at her curiously from a secluded corner. Having watched her continuously since she returned to the Buck grounds, it had become fascinated with her willingness to throw caution to the wind even though she did not fully understand the implications of what she was doing. It could not work out whether she was courageous, or just stupid to believe that she was able to protect herself against the forces at play here.

'A bit of both I suspect' Gail said nonchalantly, sensing it's thoughts and smiling when she caught sight of the figure shift in a dark corner of the Stall.

The dark figure let out a small laugh and took a step closer, revealing it's black hands. It's smile grew wider when it sensed Gail's slight discomfort and took another step closer.

Gail inhaled deeply in an attempt to keep her composure, the nails on the black hands looked as sharp as knives and she found herself suddenly craving the comfort of her husbands protection.

'The trains are to run on time without interference' the dark figure warned, taking another step closer and revealing it's black torso.

Gail felt her whole body tense as the figure moved closer to her, slowly revealing itself. She reached for her darkness instinctively and heard her little girl let out a small cry when she was met with emptiness.

'The trains Gail, remember that' the dark figure hissed, revelling in the fear it sensed radiating off of her as it closed the distance between them.

'What trains?' Lucas asked concerned, as he placed his hand on his loves shoulder after sensing her need for him and she jumped at his touch.

'What?!' Gail asked confused, suddenly feeling as though she was coming out of a daze and could not for the life of her remember where she was.

Lucas surveyed the empty Stall suspiciously, then cupped her chin in his hand and stared deeply into her eyes. He had not liked the urgency he had sensed within her which had caused him to drop everything to locate her, or the state he had found her in whispering to herself about trains; however, her eyes were giving nothing away and her guard appeared air tight, preventing him from reading her. 'Where did you go?' he asked suspiciously, recalling that this was not the first time this week that he had asked her that question.

Gail felt her mind begin to clear as Lucas stared deep into her eyes and forced herself to regain control of her senses. When she realised that the figure had disappeared, she moved her hands to her husbands cheeks and stroked him gently. 'I'm right here' she advised reassuringly, then placed a soft kiss on his lips and relaxed into his strong arms when he pulled her to him.

'Where were you before?' he asked curiously, feeling the remnants of a familiar presence and being unable to place it.

Gail had no answer for what had just happened and knew that he would see through a lie. She held his gaze for a moment, then let out a long breath and opened her mouth to explain what little she knew; however, the sound of Izzy laughing caught her attention and she let out a relieved breath when Ben interrupted them.

'You all gonna stand in the shadows all day, or can we go get some grub?' Ben asked pleasantly, trying not to concern himself with why they were skulking in this secluded area.

Gail smiled warmly at Ben and started walking towards him; however, Lucas grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him. 'We're not finished Love' he stated dominantly, not liking her shift in attention from him.

'Unless you want me to close off and make you sort the Christmas festivities for your boy's by yourself this year, we absolutely are Soulmate' Gail advised, forcing a calm tone and smiled when he released her arm so she could go to Ben.

* * *

Caleb rode through the streets on Rose's bicycle, smiling as she clung to his waist so she did not fall. After they had left the Sheriff's Station, they met up with Ben Jr and had decided to ride around Town to see all of the decorations people had put up.

'My Momma would go spare if someone did that to our house' Rose said judgmentally, pointing towards a large house with lights all over the roof and a tall blow up Santa in the garden.

'I bet your Momma would love a jolly fat man to turn up in your garden' Ben Jr joked, knowing of her Mothers reputation.

Caleb laughed amused at the comment, then felt the palm of Rose's hand hard against the side of his face and had to swerve to miss a street light. When he regained control of the bicycle he squeezed the brakes and turned to scold her for nearly causing an accident, then realised who's house they had stopped outside of and a mischievous smile came over his lips.

'We should go' Ben Jr advised cautiously, when Caleb got off the bicycle and approached the large bungalow.

Rose watched as her boyfriend stared fascinated at the house, then got off the bicycle herself and went to his side. 'You're in enough trouble as it is, we gotta get away from here before your Teacher starts somethin' else' she warned him, not wanting to get a scolding.

'She tried to humiliate me, she needs to pay' Caleb said in a voice unlike his own and felt a giddy sensation flow through his body.

'You trashed her car!' Rose snapped quietly, unimpressed by his sudden change.

'She can't prove that, otherwise my Daddy would have had to arrest me' Caleb smiled smugly and shrugged off Rose's hand when she tried to grab his shoulder.

Rose glanced at Ben Jr for assistance, hoping the older boy would take charge; however, he just shrugged apologetically and rode away, leaving her alone with Caleb. When she turned back towards her boyfriend, she realised that he had already sneaked closer to the property and she let out an exasperated breath. 'Hold up!' she whispered irritated and followed him to the front door obediently against her better judgement, not wanting him to think that she was a coward.

-To be continued-


	4. Chapter 4

Gail awoke from a broken sleep and stared up at the ceiling tiredly, feeling her husbands warm breath on the back of her neck as he snuggled into her. She had been unable to get her exchange from a few days earlier with the dark figure out of her head and it had been plaguing her dreams, making it impossible for her to get a restful sleep.

She turned towards Lucas bitterly, who was still fast asleep at this early hour, then gently pushed him onto his back and smiled when he obeyed subconsciously. As it was so early, the bedroom was still engulfed in darkness and the children were unaware of her movements as she carefully climbed on top of her husband, lifting up her short nightdress instinctively.

Lucas let out a quiet snore as he lay peacefully in a deep sleep, then took in a sharp intake of breath as he felt his wife close in around his already hard manhood and opened his eyes in surprise. 'Trouble sleepin' again Love?' he whispered amused and let out a long moan when he felt how tight she was.

'Jealous that you're not experiencing any trouble sleeping' Gail smiled tiredly, then lowered herself further onto him happy that she had woken him up from his peaceful sleep.

Lucas moved his hands to her hips and gripped her tight, before raising her slightly and thrusting his hips up. 'If you told me what was botherin' you, maybe I'd be able to help clear your mind' he suggested and ran his hands underneath her nightdress when she loosened to his length.

'We need a name' Gail advised calmly, changing the subject as she tried to keep her composure with his hard manhood inside of her. It was taking all of her self control not to ride him hard and she wanted to savour the feel of him for a little while longer, before her desire betrayed her.

Lucas stroked the soft skin of her stomach, then reached up and ran his thumb over her hard nipple teasingly. 'I doubt that's what's plaguing your dreams, but I'll bite. What name did you have in mind?' he asked quietly and willed her to start moving, struggling to keep control of his dominant nature and trying not to throw her down to have his way with her.

Gail sensed his desire and smiled, then began slowly moving her hips up and down intently. 'I don't have a preference Papa Bear, I'm open to suggestions' she panted and closed her eyes as a strong burst of pleasure surged through her.

Lucas let out a load moan as she began riding him slowly, he squeezed her breasts hard and sat up effortless, then pulled the thin string of her nightdress down to reveal her bare breasts. 'Well Momma Bear you named our Son after me, it's only fair that our Daughter is named after you' he advised, then ran his tongue gently over her nipple and began sucking seductively.

Gail could not keep her moans quiet and let out a long moan as he took her breast into his mouth. 'We don't need another Gail, one is enough and it'll only cause confusion. Rosemary is off the table too...how about Mary?' she panted, trying to keep her focus whilst moving in the way they both loved.

Lucas released her breast from his mouth, then tangled his hand in her hair roughly and pulled her head back. 'Bringin' my Mother's name into conversation at this moment in time is not one of your best ideas Love' he advised and bit her neck hard in mock punishment.

Gail called out his name in ecstasy, then let out a small laugh at his comment and nodded. 'Point taken, what about Autumn? It's unique' she suggested, pulling his body closer to hers and scraping her nails down his back hard.

Lucas bit his lip to stifle his loud moan and ran his hands up her back. 'It's a nice season, my favourite actually, but it's not a name for my little girl' he panted dismissively. 'Gloria?' he asked, struggling to concentrate on names in his current aroused state.

'God no, Emily?' Gail countered, quickening her movements and sucking his neck teasingly.

'Like Tom Watson's dim witted girl? Nah...Mellie?' he panted, losing interest in anything but their climax which was starting to stir.

'Seriously? Concentrate Soulmate' she laughed in disbelief, sensing he was close and feeling her own orgasm starting to rise. 'Christine?' she suggested noncommittally, running out of plausible names and settling for the only other name to pop into her mind.

'And be reminded of your family who tried to destroy me on multiple occasions every time I look at her? Not a chance' he dismissed the suggestion instantly, then thought for a moment and smiled 'Gail' Lucas whispered in her ear seductively, as he felt a surge of pleasure flow through him and pushed his hips up higher.

'No' Gail moaned, knowing exactly what he was up to and trying to hold back her climax.

'Gail' Lucas repeated again and squeezed her breast hard, before taking her stiff nipple into his mouth and making patterns over it with his tongue.

'No!' Gail said more sternly, digging her nails into his shoulders and riding him hard, unable to stop herself.

'Gail!' Lucas called dominantly, as he gripped her tight and manoeuvred himself on top of her, then began pounding in and out of her roughly until their climax hit violently.

Gail felt him explode within her as they came together and bit down hard on his shoulder when she completely unravelled, piercing his skin with her teeth. 'Fine!' she snapped in frustration when she managed to catch her breath, then pulled him to her for a passionate kiss as they relaxed into each other.

Lucas savoured the taste of her tongue in his mouth as he kissed her forcefully, then relaxed his grip on her and smiled when she began to suck his tongue softly. He knew he would get his way in the end, it was just a case of choosing the right moment to insert his dominance. He loved his ability to make her succumb to his will and her inevitable obedience always turned him on.

'Asshole' Gail whispered when she felt his hand trailing down her body in preparation for round two and broke free of their kiss, needing some air in her lungs.

'You wouldn't have me any other way Love' Lucas panted amused, then began kissing her neck softly and held her close.

The sound of the doorbell travelling through the house caught their attention and Gail let out a long sigh. 'That can't be good at this hour' she advised knowingly and lay back in the bed comfortably, not making any move to get up.

Lucas stared down at her in mock disapproval at the insinuation that he had to get up, then turned her over slightly and smacked her behind playfully before reaching for his robe and getting out of bed. He shot Gail an amused wink when she laughed and threw a pillow at him, then crept past the cribs quietly in the hopes of not waking the babies.

When Luke stared up at him bright eyed from his comfortable position in his crib as he past, Lucas knew they had been too loud in their intimate exchange and signalled Gail. It was a miracle that his little girl had not been awoken by their loss of control and he smiled at her sleeping peacefully before leaving the bedroom and heading for the stairs.

Caleb stood confused outside of his bedroom in his pyjama's, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he watched his Father. The sound of the doorbell had ceased and now there were loud thuds door, waking Caleb up and prompting him to come out of his bedroom.

'I got this Son and it better be good' Lucas warned, for the sake of whoever was banging on his front door and continued on down the stairs, sensing Caleb not far behind him.

The banging continued for a few moment, until Lucas opened the inner glass door and finally unlocked the front door. 'You've gotta be kiddin' me' Lucas said in an irritated tone, watching Selena barge past him and saunter into the main foyer of his home.

Selena disregarded Lucas' clear irritation at her intrusion and marched over the the stairs where she spotted Caleb. 'You little devil, how dare you!' she yelled, unable to control her anger.

Lucas inhaled deeply in an attempt to control his rage and approached the crazy woman who was intruding in his home. 'Keep your voice down-' he warned calmly.

'Are you kidding me? Your little delinquent broke in and messed my home and I'm required to keep the noise down?' Selena asked in disbelief and turned her attention back towards Caleb, who was smiling devilishly at her.

'I was with Gail all day yesterday so I couldn't have done a thing' Caleb advised smugly, standing tall above Selena on a few steps from the bottom of the stairs.

'Yes he was' Gail confirmed, holding her now awake newborn baby girl securely in one arm and Luke's hand in her other hand, as her toddler carefully walked down the stairs with her.

'Then he did it another time' Selena suggested, not convinced by his alibi.

'If someone broke into your house earlier than yesterday why are you only reportin' this now?' Caleb asked, feigning innocence.

'Because I was at the Boarding House helping Billy look after Lucy, you little brat!' Selena snapped and disregarded the sound of the newborn baby crying.

'Now look at that, you've gone and upset little Gail' Lucas said sarcastically, smiling when Gail shot him a look of warning as she rocked their Daughter soothingly.

Caleb narrowed his eyes at Gail confused, then thought better of questioning Lucas' comment when he saw the darkness in her eyes.

Gail passed Caleb his Sister when she settled, then picked up Luke who had been clawing at her leg to get her attention and approached Selena. 'So you're accusing my Son of breaking into your home on a random day that you're unsure of?' she asked calmly, trying to keep her composure.

'Your Cousin did do this Gail' Selena advised knowingly.

'My Son was with me and his Father grounded over your last accusation, but you still think it was him?' Gail asked, not acknowledging how she had referred to Caleb as her Cousin.

'Our Son has no motive for such an attack, unless you did somethin' to provoke him previously that you'd like to own up to?' Lucas asked sarcastically and watched Selena squirm, knowing full well what she had done in Caleb's class.

Selena glanced from Gail to Lucas, then spotted the curious way Luke was looking at her. She suddenly felt cornered alone in their domain and started to back up slowly. 'I did nothing-' she started defensively.

'You mean you didn't take Lory Bentley's husband to your favourite Motel last week, or Francis Trubains husband down that dark alley by his hardware Store when you got bored?' Lucas interrupted knowingly, enjoying smearing her charactor.

Gail shot Selena a disapproving look at her inability to remain faithful to one man; however, she sensed the smugness radiating off of Caleb and regardless of Selena's morals, this was now two crimes that had been committed against her. 'TJ can fit your car in later today' she advised flatly, changing the subject before the matter got out of hand.

Lucas shot Gail a confused look, then let out an exasperated sigh and held his hands up in a surrendering gesture when he sensed her willing him to challenge her.

Selena glanced around the pack then focused on Gail, who appeared to be keeping everyone else at bay. She wanted Caleb punished; however, she should not have allowed her anger to get the better of her and should have brought this up in the Sheriff's Station when the likes of Ben were on duty. 'TJ will-' she started quietly.

'Yes he will and the bills already paid' Gail interrupted, 'Call it a Christmas miracle' she said sarcastically and continued to hold her husbands gaze, sensing his desire to insert his dominance here.

Lucas watched his Love closely, sensing that she knew what Caleb had done and did not take his eyes off of her. 'You wanna file a crime report, go to the Station. Otherwise get outta my home' he told Selena, but continued to stare deep into Gail's eyes.

Selena nodded obediently and rushed out of the house, trying to get away from the property as fast as she could.

Gail felt Luke tugging at her hair, clearly sensing the tension between her and Lucas; however, her stance did not change. When her husband remained silent for a few minutes, she smiled and shook her head slowly. 'It's Christmas and we will have no more drama' she said sweetly, the order clear in her undertone.

Caleb watched his Step Mom and his Father closely, then gulped at her comment. He was about to say something when his Father took a step forward.

'That woman could create drama in a Nunnery' Lucas stated calmly, then took Gail's hand in his and kissed it softly.

Gail inhaled deeply and opened her mouth when his lips met hers, allowing him to take control as he always did. 'It's Christmas and I've had enough issues to last me into the new year Lucas' she advised him seriously.

'And there'll be no more, even our little Gail has settled nicely with her Brother' Lucas smiled reassuringly and turned her head gently towards Caleb.

Gail let out an exasperated breath at the name he had chosen for their Daughter and headed back upstairs with Luke, ignoring Caleb as she passed.

'You couldn't let it go?' Lucas asked Caleb knowingly when Gail was out of earshot.

'Could you?' Caleb asked defensively, then smiled when his Father smiled at him proudly and they headed towards the Kitchen.

* * *

Rita sat at the Coffee Shop opposite the Sheriff's Station, staring into her latte. She could not stop thinking about what Gail had said the other day, or what the Sheriff had told her weeks ago and she could not shake the anxiety that she was experiencing over her current situation.

Gail was right, she knew what she needed and she knew exactly who to go to if she wanted it. The issue was that Rita was not stupid, her Grandmother had once made a deal with a Buck and she remembered how her Mother had warned her against any such thing. Rita had gone through life keeping her distance from the Buck family, she was always pleasant and would never hold anything against anyone; however, she had always maintained a safe distance from any dealings of Lucas Buck, that was until she got involved with Ben and Gail anyway.

The difference she had seen in Lucas since he had settled with Gail was immense, the man used to dominate Trinity on his own and rule with an iron fist; however, now he openly displayed his affection for his family and it was clear that he had a partnership with someone who could handle his sometimes questionable nature. Maybe his union with Gail had softened him, maybe making a deal with him would not be as bad as it was for her Grandmother.

'Or maybe you should take full responsibility for your own future, rather than looking for shortcuts which involve my husband' Gail advised candidly, as she sat down beside Rita and started to release Luke from his buggy.

'Was I thinkin' out loud?' Rita asked, concerned of who else may have heard her.

'Does it really matter? Either you're confident enough to take the plunge to get what you want, or you're still that timid girl who wants to hide away' Gail stated honestly, having no patience for games after what had happened with Selena earlier in the day.

Rita thought for a moment, then let out a long sigh and released Izzy from her buggy so she could see Luke properly. 'It's too late and I'm too old-' she started.

'My husband waited half a century before making a true commitment and starting a family, I pulled myself up at a young age from a questionable childhood in foster care with no family and managed to reach my goal...age is no excuse, you just need to tap into your drive' Gail advised, then smiled at the Waitress when she brought her a skinny latte and a chocolate muffin.

'Maybe I should speak to the Sheriff' Rita suggested reluctantly after a moment of contemplation, feeling that he could not be that bad if Gail was taken with him. She understood what Gail was trying to say to her but she saw no option right now.

'You will not!' Gail said sternly, reading her thoughts and not wanting Rita to get tangled up in the complicated web that her husband weaves; however, a sudden chill came over her and her eyes caught sight of the dark figure standing alone across the street.

Luke began to pick at the chocolate muffin while his Mother appeared distracted, then sensed something tugging at his subconscious and stared in the direction that his Mother was looking. He did not like the dark figure who's eyes appeared to burrow into him; however, he was intrigued by it's presence and could not look away.

Gail felt Luke relax on her and instinctively gripped his hand, she did not take her eyes off of the dark figure and tried to remain calm.

'The trains Gail...the trains...' the dark figure whispered and the words repeated all around her.

Gail let off an involuntary shiver and gripped Luke tighter, then relaxed when the figure disappeared and she was still at the Coffee Shop with Rita. 'Maybe you should go see Lucas, he's the man in charge after all' she said begrudgingly knowing this was what the dark figure wanted and held Luke close to her when she sensed Rita's acceptance, trying to shake the sense of shame that had come over her for choosing the easy road.

-To be continued-


	5. Chapter 5

Gail walked through the busy Town centre pushing her children in a double buggy, watching the people making their last minute preparations for Christmas with amusement. Caleb and Merlyn both loved the Christmas period now that they were away from Gage Temple's questionable antics, Lucas and Gail hated this time of year; however, they had a mutual unspoken pact to put their reservations to one side for the children and this year would be no exception, regardless of what had happened recently.

As Gail did not buy in to this commercial holiday, she felt no stress or hurry to get things done and she just strolled through all the panicking people casually. When a Mother rushed past her dragging a small child in a hideous Christmas jumper, Gail smiled warmly and allowed herself to feel the enjoyment that the children always did. Even with her complicated life getting even more twisted and unusual, she could not help but smile at the happy children around her.

'Careful, people may start to think you're softening to the festive period with that grin on your face' Matt smiled, as he approached Gail and bent down to inspect the Buck children affectionately.

'Shhh, we don't want my husband to know that I might have a heart, I'll never hear the end of it' she laughed and moved to the side to allow Matt to push the buggy. 'I'm surprised you've been let out of work so early' she advised, smiling pleasantly at the people they passed.

'You're husbands slacking in his cruelty and hasn't been sending people my way, maybe he's grown a heart' Matt said sarcastically.

'Oh I very much doubt that, although he is more tolerable of you these days' Gail thought aloud.

'Only because you're clearly giving him something that he doesn't want to jeopardise just yet' Matt advised, trying not to think of their relationship.

'What can I say, I have stamina for days' she laughed, ignoring Matt's clear discomfort and linked his arm lovingly. 'How's everything with you? M's been showing up at my home more and more recently, it's not good that she's choosing to be around Lucas rather than staying at her home with you'

Matt inhaled deeply and shook his head in exasperation. He did not mind how candid Gail was, she was his best friend after all and their bond had strengthened after their unexpected discomfort with each other a few weeks ago; however, M was a touchy subject. How could he tell his best friend that she was the wedge which had formed between them? It was not a conversation that he wanted to have right now.

'Of course it's me, why wouldn't it be?' Gail let out a small laugh, sensing his thoughts.

'I don't want to come between you, she's your family-' Matt started apologetically.

'She is and you couldn't if you tried' Gail interrupted, amused at his presumption. 'You have to remember that she's a young woman who's apparently second best to your's truly...You think I'd ever allow Lucas to feel that way?' she asked in disbelief of how stupid Matt had been by pushing Merlyn away these last few weeks.

'You'd drop everything for me, that's all I did for you when you needed me' Matt advised earnestly, then smiled when Gail stopped and took his hand in hers.

'I'd drop things to a certain extent, never at the risk of actually affecting my relationship as you and I both have a lot to lose these days' she explained, attempting to make him understand.

'I'd never expect you to jeopardise your family for me Gail, no matter how much I know that you deserve better than the partner you've chosen' Matt advised honestly.

'My choice is my own and so is yours. M needs attention, don't you remember what it was like when we were that age?' Gail laughed, finally seeing some realisation in his eyes. 'My relationship with M is fine and it always will be regardless of a man or even the likes of Lucas Buck. You need to start being a little selfish when it comes to me and let her be the forefront of your focus...I already have my obsession, for god's sake go get yours'

Matt thought on her words for a moment, then placed a soft kiss on her cheek and let go fully of the buggy. 'Push your own damn children' Matt joked in a mock scornful tone, then placed a kiss on both babies hands before leaving Gail alone to locate M.

'It's about time' Gail said to herself, then began pushing the buggy casually again and smiled warmly at the passers by.

* * *

Lucas sat behind the large desk in his office and stared curiously at the pretty red head sat opposite him. To say that he had been surprised by her visit was an understatement, especially after she had been avoiding him since their conversations at the hospital when Gail was recovering from labour. Ben had gone for lunch and she had sneaked in without being spotted, he suspected Ben would not be accepting of her presence in his office and what they were discussing; however, according to the woman before him, Gail had authorised this meeting and her take was the only one he actually cared about.

'Say somethin', you're makin' me nervous' Rita stuttered under his intense gaze.

'So you're tellin' me that Gail sent you here? My wife who warned you against this course of action previously?' Lucas asked, sensing the truth in her previous statement; however, being unable to comprehend the change in Gail's attitude towards him getting involved with people who had a connection with their family.

Rita shifted nervously in the chair and tried to hide her discomfort. It had taken a lot for her to come here, she had faltered earlier; however, Gail had assured her that everything would be alright if she spoke to the Sheriff, she guaranteed that she was in safe hands and Rita trusted her. 'That's right, she said I should speak to the man in charge so here I am' Rita advised, failing to sound confident.

Lucas continued to stare at her for a moment, his curiosity spiking the more he thought about his wife's involvement with this, then he stood up and moved around the desk until he settling on the other side of the desk in front for Rita.

Rita watched as he perched himself casually on the edge of the desk and smiled charmingly at her. The masculine smell of his cologne travelled to her and she instantly felt lost in his presence.

'You've told me what you want, more responsibilities, more respect, a higher position within the ranks...all very textbook really. Are you sure there's nothin' else that I can offer you to satiate your desires?' Lucas teased seductively, savouring her discomfort and clear attraction to him.

He enjoyed this part the most, watching his people weigh up their instincts and desires. It was especially enjoyable with the women, who always craved him even though they knew how bad he was. Watching their morals melt away for their selfish desires was amusing and the more they desired him, the more fun he had with them. If only they knew that simply being with him would tear them apart, he suspected that they would still choose the sacrifice to satisfy their selfish needs for an easy path.

Rita inhaled deeply under the weight of his intense stare, the man was an Adonis and he stirred something deep within her that she had never felt before. The thought of him touching her caused a hot flush to come over her and she had to cross her legs, in an attempt to push away the intense feeling bubbling between her thighs. 'Just what we've already talked about' she lied, desperately trying to push down her desire for him by thinking of her Daughter.

Lucas stared seductively at her for a few moments longer, then let out an amused laugh and stood up. 'I've always liked you Rita, which is why I'll help you get what you want. A bit further down the line, you may do a little somethin' for me to repay the favour...Deal?' he asked casually.

Rita felt something deep in her subconscious screaming at her to run, to not say the word and get tangled up with this Adonis; however, Gail had agreed that this may be the quickest way to get what she wanted and she did trust her. 'De-' she started, not allowing herself time to think any longer.

'Just one more thing, call it a showin' of good faith if you will' Lucas interrupted, before the Deal was fully sealed.

'Anythin'' Rita offered urgently, needing this to be done so she could get out of here.

Lucas smiled devilishly at her willingness to please him and started pacing his office slowly. 'My poor Deputy has been in one hell of a state these past two months, that man is absolutely besotted with you and would do anythin' to please you...much like my relationship with my Love I suppose' he said casually and tapped his wedding ring with his thumbnail.

Rita stared straight ahead, not daring to meet his eyes. She did love Ben, he was a good man and had given her Izzy; however, sometimes she wondered whether she wanted more.

'There ain't no more, not for you anyway...he's it' Lucas stated calmly, reading her thoughts.

Rita took a sharp intake of breath and a strange feeling of being dragged down river with the current hit her hard. She realised now that she was out of her league and this man's presence was not one that she could contend with.

'There's only one man for you, regardless of your ambitions' Lucas advised as he knelt down in front of her and took her hands in him. 'You will make my Deputy happy and then our Deal will be finalised' he said bluntly, not bothering to hide his dominance.

'B-Ben's happy as we are' Rita stuttered, starting to feel overwhelmed by this powerful man.

'You're happy as you are, Ben needs stability and security...you're gonna give it to him today' Lucas ordered in a calm tone, sensing her fear at his closeness.

'He's already got security, I ain't goin' anywhere I promise-' Rita said frantically, then stopped when he tapped his wedding ring again to silence her.

'You will be bound today as a token gesture for my help, then our arrangement is sealed. Deal?' Lucas asked softly and stroked his over the palm of her hand reassuringly.

'Deal' Rita agreed defeated, knowing that there was already no going back on what she had started.

* * *

Lucas sat casually on the front row in the large assembly hall of Trinity Elementary School, watching the children before him re-enact A Christmas Carol. His arm was around his wife's shoulder, forcing her to lean in to him and their two children were beside them in their double buggy watching out for their big Brother. Lucas had come straight from work after his unexpected visit from Rita and he had wanted to establish the truth about how Gail really felt about the woman's willingness to come to him for help; however, his wife had ensured that she was already surrounded by people when he got here, preventing him from having a private conversation with her.

'We need to talk-' Lucas whispered, growing bored of the stage production and leaning closer to his wife.

'Shush, show some courtesy and respect for what your Son is going through' Gail said quietly, sensing his curiosity with her and not wanting to engage him just yet.

Lucas was about to answer the comment; however, Caleb entering the stage stopped him. When Caleb came on the stage dressed as Scrooge and looking very unimpressed, Lucas could not contain his amusement and laughed loudly. Caleb shot him a disapproving look, causing Lucas to turn towards Gail amused, then let out a long sigh when he caught the look of anger on her face and shook his head slowly. 'Relax, all kids go through this' he whispered in her ear.

'I bet the almighty Lucas Buck didn't' Gail said bitterly, sensing Caleb's discomfort and suspecting that this display was a punishment from Selena. She wanted to help him overcome his clear humiliation; however, Lucas gripped her shoulder tighter and she just shot Selena a look of disdain as she saw the woman watching smugly at the side of the stage.

'If looks could kill' Lucas laughed, spotting Gail's fury had turned to Selena.

'I doubt you'd be safe' Gail said coldly and turned her attention towards him, unable to hide her irritation with him.

Lucas sensed her hostility towards him and placed his hand on her knee softly. 'I ain't done nothin' untoward Darlin'. She came to me' he whispered, assuming this was about Rita and not willing to take the blame for her anger.

'Just like they all do right? The charming Lucas Buck comes to the rescue yet again' Gail said sarcastically, then picked up her Daughter and headed outside of the assembly hall so Caleb had two less sets of eyes on him in his uncomfortable situation.

Lucas waited a few moments for Caleb's part to finish and listened to the congratulations speech that the children had written in honour of his newborn Daughter. He applauded their effort like he always did, standing up so the other adults in the room could witness his gesture, then picked up Luke and headed out of the assembly hall to find his wife. He knew it had been too good to be true that Gail did not have a problem with his deal and that only made him all the more curious as to why she had sent Rita to him.

Gail paced the secluded corridor unable to shake off her irritation, then let out an exasperated sigh when she spotted Lucas heading towards her and shook her head. 'You can't just give me a little space for once?' she snapped frustrated, then walked towards the exit before he had a chance to reach her.

Lucas inhaled deeply and smiled reassuringly at Luke when he looked up at him confused, clearly wondering what was wrong with his Mother. 'I get the feelin' I'm gonna have to warn you of this several times throughout your life Son...all women are crazy' he said calmly to Luke, then let out a long sigh and headed out of the School.

Gail found her Uncle Abe waiting with Merlyn and Matt by her car, they had arrived after she had to show support for Caleb and she had promised them a ride home when the play was finished.

'Caleb was seethin'' Merlyn smiled, unable to hide her amusement at her Brother's humiliation considering how smug he usually was.

Gail rolled her eyes at the comment and handed her Daughter to Abe, who was so taken by her that he could not stop smiling at her. 'At least someone's having a good time' she smiled at Abe and watched as he rocked her Daughter soothingly.

'We'd love to stick around and deal with the wrath of my eldest, but we have somewhere to be' Lucas advised the group before a conversation could start, then handed Luke to Merlyn and took Gail's arm in his hand possessively.

'You're going to just leave Caleb here after that car crash of a performance?' Gail asked in disbelief, unimpressed by Lucas' presumption that she would leave Caleb.

'I guarantee you that he don't want the spotlight from us right now Love and we have somewhere else to be urgently' Lucas said sternly, unwilling to allow her remain here.

Gail stared deep into his eyes challenging him, then realised that he was pulling rank and let out a long sigh when it was clear that she would not win this. She pulled out her car keys from her pocket and handed them to Abe, giving him an apologetic smile for leaving him in charge of the group.

Lucas smiled smugly, then dragged Gail to his car and left the children with Abe, Matt and Merlyn, before shooting Matt a mischievous wink. 'Don't worry Love, you'll enjoy this' he advised when she put on her seat belt, then squeezed her knee as he turned on the ignition and pulled away from the Elementary School.

-To be continued-


	6. Chapter 6

Gail sat in the front passenger seat of Lucas' navy blue Crown Victoria obediently, then waved apologetically at Merlyn as Lucas drove away leaving her with the children. She was not willing to talk to her husband right now, not after how bad she felt about convincing Rita that Lucas was her best hope at getting what she wanted; therefore, they just sat in silence as Lucas drove through the busy streets and Gail reflected on her choices of late.

Lucas continued to drive casually to his intended destination, not forcing conversation with his wife and allowing her to reflect in peace. When he pulled up at Selena's Fathers old church, a sudden flashback of the Reverend Coombs' dead wife injecting the Reverend with an overdose of Morphine surged through Gail's brain and she inhaled sharply, causing Lucas to look at her.

'Deja Vu Love?' Lucas asked curiously, being privy to part of her flashback.

'You better hope not' Gail warned, not wanting her darkness to break free in her uncomfortable state and run riot in this church again.

Lucas let out a small laugh then got out of the car and walked to her side, opening her door like the gentleman that he was. 'I don't know, a little mischief in our lives ain't so bad' he smirked knowingly and laughed when she shot him a look of disdain.

'I'm not in the mood for your games Lucas, I just want to be left alone with my children' Gail advised frustrated, taking his hand when offered and allowing him to lead her into the church.

'You'll be left alone Love, once you play your part in Ben's big day' Lucas whispered into her ear and led her to the front of the church, where Rita and Ben were waiting patiently with the Reverend Humphries to get this show underway.

Gail stopped for a moment confused, then realised what this was and let out a long sigh. She remembered Rita had shown reservations about getting married and knew this rushed ceremony was down to her husband, clearly part of some random game that he wanted to play. 'You can't be serious with this, what did you do?' she whispered unimpressed, sensing Rita's discomfort and hating the position that Lucas had forced her into.

'The girl wanted some help and I'll give it to her, but my Deputy needs his stable family-' Lucas started quietly.

'So you're forcing a woman to marry him under duress?' Gail whispered in disbelief.

'Oh come on, don't be so dramatic. I'm givin' the man what he deserves and she cares about him...you know I'm right about this' Lucas advised, playing on her affection for Ben and gently pushing her towards the group.

Gail forced a smile when she spotted Ben looking at her and squeezed Rita's hand reassuringly, in an attempt to indicate everything would be alright. She knew this was part of the deal that she had convinced Rita into seeking and the thought of someone being trapped because of her influence sickened her more than she had anticipated.

Rita let out a nervous laugh when Gail squeezed her hand and her discomfort began to ease. Once again, Gail realised that her husband was using her to control a situation and she felt her darkness begin to stir. A sudden wave of guilt surged through her and she let go of Rita's hand. She could not do this, she had constantly fought for the rights of women her whole life and this was not part of the deal that she had agreed to by the river.

'What deal?' Lucas asked from beside her quietly, when he sensed her thoughts and became suddenly curious of her behaviour.

'It's nothing' Gail whispered defensively, cursing herself for allowing her guard to waver, then forced a smile when the Reverend decided to ignore their lack of interest and started performing his duties quickly.

'This isn't over, you will talk to me' Lucas warned, as he gripped her hips tight and pulled her to him.

Gail was about to protest against his dominant gesture; however, she felt his hands stroking her stomach affectionately and allowed herself to relax into him. 'There's nothing to talk about, now focus on your show' she whispered as she leaned back into him and watched the charade in front of her disapprovingly.

Lucas stared down at Gail throughout the service, attempting to break through her barrier; however, she had re-enforced her guard and made it difficult to sense her thoughts. There had been something off with her for weeks now, he had sensed it and had chosen to allow her to work through it on her own believing she was just settling down with his Daughter; however, now he wondered about the deal she had been thinking about, she had certainly not made a deal with him so he wanted to know who else had come into play.

Gail sensed her husbands rage rising inside of him as the service progressed and shook her head in exasperation, knowing it was to do with her. Lucas was not the type of person to accept being kept out of the loop and she knew that the thought of her hiding something would infuriate him; however, she suspected he would not react well to her having to yield to some force that was not him and he had no right to demand anything from her.

When the Reverend pronounced Ben and Rita man and wife, Gail applauded warmly and hugged the pair to show her support of this unexpected action, regardless of how she really felt. 'Well it's about time' she smiled pleasantly, forcing her demeanour to remain calm and squeezed Rita's hand again, to signal that she understood what this was.

'The reception is at your place-' Rita started, feeling more at ease in Gail's presence.

'We'll follow you out' Lucas interrupted and patted Ben on the shoulder proudly, before grabbing Gail's hand dominantly and dragging her towards the confession box.

Gail waved reassuringly at Ben and signalled for him to leave, then was shoved roughly into the confessional by Lucas and backed up against the far wall. 'Well this isn't claustrophobic at all' she said sarcastically, trying to keep her composure and not allowing him to get the upper hand.

Lucas stared at her suspiciously for a moment, then pulled her to him and kissed her forcefully. 'You remember the last time we were in here?' he asked, when he broke free for some air and began stroking her cheek affectionately.

'How could I forget, another thing on the list that damns me for eternity' Gail said bluntly, shifting uncomfortably in the small space and trying to push Lucas' roaming hands off of her body.

'You set the precedent here Love. Even Selena wouldn't perform this sacrilege, yet you did it so willingly last time' Lucas laughed, then forced her legs open with his knees and lifted up her short dress intently.

'I wasn't myself-' Gail started to explain, experiencing a strong feeling of being watched and attempting to push down the shame of her previous actions here.

'Oh but you were...this has always been your true self Gail, you just used to care too much about how you'd be perceived' Lucas interrupted knowingly and began kissing her neck as he ripped off her panties roughly, giving him access to what he desired.

'Used to?' Gail asked in a hurt tone, feeling her body's betrayal once again as it yearned for him to be inside of her.

Lucas lifted his head so he could stare deep into her eyes and caressed her cheek softly. 'Rita wouldn't have come to me if she didn't trust your judgement. You could've sent her away, especially after you warned me against dealing with our friends families but you let her come and convinced her that it was alright...it's curious really' he advised, sensing the conflict inside of her.

'The trains have to run on time' Gail said subconsciously, then saw his loving look change to one of suspicion and forced her lips on his before he had a chance to dissect her slip of the tongue.

Lucas pulled away from the kiss knowing that she was attempting to distract him, then felt Gail's hand connect hard against his cheek and let out a small laugh. 'You really are hidin' somethin' from me aren't you?' he asked disappointed, searching her expression for confirmation.

'What I'm not hiding is my desire for you, what are you waiting for? A smite from God?' Gail forced a laugh, then let out a pained moan when he thrust his hard manhood inside of her and began pounding.

Lucas did not like her evasiveness and her comments had bothered him; however, he did trust her and his desire for her in their current surroundings was overwhelming, therefore, he chose to drop his interrogation for now and focus on his needs. He would punish her for not being open at the first opportunity he had given her and began thrusting in and out of her roughly, ignoring her pained moans.

Gail closed her eyes as he pushed deep inside of her and was taken back to the Trinity River, she opened her eyes quickly before the dark figure appeared in her mind and let out a relieved breath when she spotted that her husband was too preoccupied to sense her momentary departure. He was hurting her and she did not blame him, as she was keeping her deal from him when they should share everything. She knew that she would retaliate in a similar fashion if she found out that he was keeping secrets from her; therefore, she inhaled deeply and took her punishment, allowing him to take her hard without complaint.

Lucas sensed her acceptance of this treatment and smiled devilishly. 'If you're willin' to take this so easily, maybe I need to visit a part of you that I've left alone for some time now to really teach you a lesson' he threatened excitedly and gripped her behind tight, knowing that part of her was not something that she liked to give.

Gail was not accepting of that position at the best of times let alone in a sacred place, so she tangled her hands in his hair and pulled his head back sharply. 'This is bad enough when I'm not fully healed, don't make me Lucas' she requested through pained moans, then relaxed when he released his grip on her behind and began to slow his movements.

'All I want is honesty Gail' Lucas advised truthfully, as he let out a loud moan and began respecting her body again.

'You have my loyalty and all of me, what else do you expect me to give?' she asked, feeling a bolt of pleasure cancel out the pain and stroked her hands down his face lovingly.

'You're lying to me Love' Lucas accused through hoarse breaths.

'I haven't once lied to you Soulmate, I just haven't volunteered information that doesn't need to concern you' she explained, feeling his tension slowly release and smiling when his movements became gentle.

Lucas thought on the comment for a moment, then felt a surge of pleasure flow through him and quickened his pace when his climax began to rise.

Gail let out a loud moan as he began to move intently, he pushed himself deep within her and pulled out slowly, prolonging their pleasure and teasing her. Just as she thought that he was going to drag this out longer, he thrust inside of her hard and his movements quickened. Gail dug her nails into his back and called out his name as their climax came together, feeling him erupt inside of her.

'Well if Reverend Humphries didn't know what we were doin' before, he certainly does now' Lucas laughed at her inability to control her volume and buried his head into her neck to stifle his call.

Gail clasped her hand against her mouth in shock, then shook her head and laughed. 'Just add it to the list of damnation, what's one more notch?' she joked and let out a pained moan as he pulled out of her.

Lucas handed her a handkerchief to clean herself up, then opened the confessional door and helped her out. 'Come on Love, we're late to a certain reception that we're hostin'' he advised playfully, placing his arm affectionately around her shoulders and leading towards the exit.

'Of course we are, why would we ever be on time to a party you planned?' she asked in mock disapproval and allowed him to lead her to his car.

* * *

When Lucas pulled up at their Mansion, Gail took in a sharp intake of breath at the Christmas lights hanging over the windows. She glanced around and smiled when she saw lights wrapped around the leafless trees, a large inflatable Father Christmas in the garden and a silver reindeer statue just inside the gates to the main area of the property.

'What did you do?' Gail asked in disbelief, unable to take her eyes off the decorations.

'I didn't do anythin' apart from taskin' Harvard and Caleb to make this place festive to cheer you up' Lucas advised, sensing her happiness and smiling at her almost childlike wonder as she gazed at the newly decorated property.

'We hate this though-' Gail started.

'No I hate this, you had a questionable childhood and are clearly softening to this ridiculous season now that we have children...You thought I wouldn't notice the change in you?' Lucas asked amused, as he turned off the engine and turned towards her.

'You're a bastard' Gail stated in mock disapproval, then pulled him to her and kissed him passionately.

Lucas held her for a few minutes, enjoying their relaxed affectionate moment before something inevitably got in the way, then pulled free of the embrace and got out of the car. 'After you my Lady' he bowed courteously as he opened the car door for her, then laughed as she slapped his arm playfully before liking her arm in his and making their way to the garden party.

* * *

Ben drank happily with his friends in celebration of his new wife, he did not care that their were children present to see him drinking as he was unable to hide his relief and happiness that Rita had actually wanted to go ahead with this commitment to make their union official.

Rita stood at the edge of the party underneath a tree, attempting to keep clear of peoples attention. She cared for Ben, she would never deny that; however, she was stuck with him now and there was no going back, not in this Town.

'He truly needs you, that kind of devotion is something not everyone is lucky enough to find' Gail advised warmly, as she approached Rita and handed her a glass of wine.

'The Sheriff's devoted to you, if you weren't truly in love would you still be with him?' Rita asked curiously, feeling her inhibitions fade in her already drunken state.

'Love is questionable and fickle, loyalty and a strong partnership is what you really should hold on to' Gail smiled wearily, sensing Rita's reservations resurfacing.

'And if you want more?' Rita asked quietly.

'Take it, do you see me sitting around like a bored housewife? Ben isn't your problem, you're lucky to have him. Your problem is your lack of ability to better yourself when you were younger, resulting in this destructive self loathing you appear to be holding on to. Stop being so weak and accept what my husband throws your way' Gail advised bluntly, growing impatient with Rita's complaining. Lucas was ultimately right as usual, Ben was truly good for Rita and Rita did love him. This union would only benefit her as the support he provides would help get her to where she needed to be.

A dark figure skulking behind a tree towards the back of the property caught Gail's attention, and she walked away from Rita before the woman could muster up a response to her statement. The air was thick in the darker part of the property and there were no lights to illuminate her way, making the garden look eerie in the darkness of winter. As Gail entered the back of the property and approached the large fountain that she loved so much, whispers came from all around her.

'Enough of the theatrics, I've got better things to do than waste my time out here with you. You got my attention, so what do you want?' Gail asked the darkness, unfazed by the attempt to make her feel uncomfortable.

'You did good' the dark figure said as it emerged from behind the fountain.

'My husband sealed whatever needed sealing, I did nothing but have a conversation with an unhappy girl' Gail responded flatly, not wanting to take any responsibility or praise for what had been done.

'You undersell yourself, strange for someone so driven and ambitious' the dark figure laughed eerily and took a step closer.

'I achieved what I wanted a long time ago-' Gail started defensively.

'So you're complete then?' the dark figure interrupted amused and moved slowly around the fountain; however, keeping it's face in the shadow.

'I have my career-'

'And your family, your husband, your properties...Are you really sure that mundane stuff is all you want in life? Where's your sense of adventure and challenge disappeared to Miss Emory?' the dark figure mocked, his tone changing to mimic her husbands.

Gail heard the familiar seductive way Lucas used to say her name and let off a small shiver. 'Mrs Buck' she corrected sternly, not allowing the figure to get underneath her skin. 'I don't know what this is or what you want, but our deal is done. I did what you asked, I yielded and I stepped down against my better judgement when a friend needed my help'

'You gave her to us' the dark figure hissed amused.

'I gave her to my husband who isn't one of you' Gail stated defensively.

The dark figure laughed at the comment, as it closed the distance between them and stroked her bare arm, causing her hairs to stand up on end. 'You're smarter than that Gail and when your curiosity and desire get the better of you, I'll be right here waiting' it advised her smugly, then disappeared into the darkness when she tried to survey it's face.

'Yielded?' Lucas asked unimpressed, as he leaned against the back door to his house and attempted to keep his twin caged.

Gail let out an exasperated sigh when she heard her husbands voice, then laughed at her current position. The dark figure was goading her and her husband was following her, she did not know which one angered her more.

'What did you do Gail? You need to tell me right now' Lucas demanded, as he went to her when she did not move and grabbed her shoulders tight, turning her around to face him.

'What I had to do for our family, now trust me and just drop it' Gail said sternly, staring deep into his eyes and not allowing him to dominate the situation.

Lucas held her gaze for a moment, not backing down, then saw the desperate look hidden deep in her eyes and let out a long sigh. 'I don't fully recognise that presence Gail' he said seriously, forcing his tone to soften; however, still feeling his rage bubbling inside of him.

'Please Lucas, just let it go' she pleaded, 'It's Christmas and we've all been through enough. I'll handle this when it needs handling, but right now I just want to be with our children'

Lucas did not like the change in her character, it was not like her to plead and the fact that she had come across something hidden to him on this property was concerning.

'Lucas stop!' Gail snapped, reading his thoughts and sensing his desire to locate the dark figure.

Lucas let out an exasperated breath then cupped her chin in his hand, lifted his free hand above her head and produced a small piece mistletoe before placing a soft kiss on her lips. 'Come on Love, we deserve a quiet spell after everything that you went through. Let's get back to the party and show the reprobates how to really celebrate' he smiled, squeezing her to him and leading her back to the front of the property. He would deal with whatever this was another time, right now it was time for his family to be together.

Gail smiled at the mistletoe he had somehow produced and forced her body to relax as Lucas led her back to the front of the property. She risked a glance behind her, sensing the eyes on her; however, she focused on her husband and his strong protective presence. It was Christmas, to some the most wonderful time of the year and she would ensure that her children were not affected by the sins of their parents, even if it damned her.

-The End-


End file.
